Library / English Dictionary

PROSECUTE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in

Example:

They engaged in a discussion

Synonyms:

engage; prosecute; pursue

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "prosecute" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "prosecute"):

commit; practice (engage in or perform)

close (engage at close quarters)

politick (engage in political activities)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

prosecution (the continuance of something begun with a view to its completion)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring a criminal action against (in a trial)

Example:

The State of California prosecuted O.J. Simpson

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

They want to prosecute the prisoners

Antonym:

defend (be the defense counsel for someone in a trial)

Derivation:

prosecution (the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior)

prosecutor (a government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Conduct a prosecution in a court of law

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "prosecute" is one way to...):

act; move (perform an action, or work out or perform (an action))

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

prosecution (the institution and conduct of legal proceedings against a defendant for criminal behavior)

prosecutor (a government official who conducts criminal prosecutions on behalf of the state)

Credits